The field of invention is primarily in CLASS 204, CHEMISTRY: ELECTRICAL AND WAVE ENERGY and subclass of PROCESSES AND PRODUCTS generally listed under analysis and testing likely within the 400s.
The parent patent, DYNAMIC PRECIOUS METAL ASSAY METHOD, U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,999 of Jan. 24, 1989 was a basic method which utilized the complex chemistry of time dependant electrochemistry to determine the alloy content of a gold specimen sample in units of karats. A galvanic cell integral to a device was produced by sending a pulse of current through an area wetted by an electrolyte between a reference electrode and the specimen sample electrode of a precious metal alloy. It was experimentally noted that this small galvanic cell had discharge properties that depended on the alloy of the test specimen sample electrode. This is an empirical phenomena that depends on the multidependant parameters of 1) current, 2) voltage, 3)time of current charge, 4) area of charged surfaces, 5) electrodes employed, 6) electrolyte employed, 7) volumetric parameters of the galvanic cell, and 8) and time dependant curve contour of the discharge rate of the galvanic cell. Because of the complexities of such a system, a heuristic analysis is used to determine the metric of the current meter on the device in units of the karat of a gold specimen sample. Over the ensuing 20 years since the parent patent was issued, the employees of Tri-Electronics Corporation has pursued a program of research and development on the parent method patent to manufacture an instrument to assure optimum performance in terms of ruggedness, economy of the expendable electrolyte and sensitivity and accuracy and competitive marketing. Currently, Tri-Electronics gold testing products are rated by experts as having the highest utility rating for professional use.(“Gold Testing Guide—electronic gold testers 101” by Igem: and also “Electronic Gold Tester Review”: on Internet). All gold testing patents issued in the class of said U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,999 make reference to this parent specification as the basic patent and the objectives of those succeeding patents are generally directed at attempts to optimize its performance in specific characteristics. However, because of the complex interactions of all parameters mentioned above, a modification in any singular aspect does affect other performance characteristics. This disclosure is the culmination of the extensive R&D of Tri-electronics to produce a superior device to any on the current market.
Specifically, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,051,126 and 5,888,362 by Fegan, Jr. discloses using a permeable fiber interfacing wick for transporting an electrolyte between the reference electrode and the gold specimen sample. Fiber materials and the residual electrolyte held in the fiber were found to deteriorate prematurely and obfuscate the karat metric readout. The deteriorated fiber causes leakage from the devices causing valuable electrolytic loss as well as messy contamination.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,303 by Medvinsky, an employee of Tri-Electronics, further noted that the use of multiple successive pulses resulted in galvanic cell output metrics that increased the sensitivity of the basic device to the karat of gold alloy. However, it was only one of many potential algorithms possible and did not achieve the necessary specifications for a professional accurate tester.
In all circumstances, any change in the basic device requires extensive experimentation in respect to parametric changes in the other variables as mentioned above. In this sense, each such device is unique, though it complies with the methodology of the basic parent patent, DYNAMIC PRECIOUS METAL ASSAY METHOD, U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,999 of Jan. 24, 1989.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,016 of Moment merely utilizes steady state contact potential between dissimilar metals wetted with a defined electrolyte. This is classically known as the Galvani potential between two metals. Tri-Electronics initial research indicated such a system lacked the necessary sensitivity for the professional assay of gold alloys, though it is a classic method of confirming the identity of the elemental class of a conductor. This system has no value for professional use.